Loren,

You had to brake to keep from running into the van in front of you due
to the 'draft' that you were in.  Same on a bicycle when riding in a
line or a bunch as racers tend to do.  You have to lightly touch the
brakes to keep from running into the bike in front of you.  The front
bike can be pedaling like mad and you can just sit there and touch
brakes.  The lead bike is dealing with wind resistance head on and you
have the draft or area of lessened wind resistance.  Move two feet to
the side without pedaling  and you will seem to shoot backwards.

The same would happen with cars if there was a safe lane to the side
where you could quickly pull out of the draft.  Truckers don't like it
and it is a bit dangerous, but you can pull pretty close up to a truck
and suddenly your rpms  to match the same speed lower because you are in
the trucks draft.  Since they take so long to stop you really aren't
that likely to run into them.  Also their draft is bigger and longer
than that of a van or car.

Sam

--
Sam Walters
Baltimore, MD

89 Syncro GL, Zetec Inside
85 Westy Weekender
85 Mercedes Benz 300D Turbodiesel - to become veggie oil powered

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